


No Longer Mine

by theskywasblue



Series: 7 Deadly Sins [1]
Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Dysfunctional Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-21
Updated: 2010-05-21
Packaged: 2017-10-09 15:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/88766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskywasblue/pseuds/theskywasblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Feelings change, and Jien struggles to understand</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Longer Mine

**Author's Note:**

> For the [7 Deadly Sins](http://community.livejournal.com/7_deadly_sins_/) community on LiveJournal - Prompt: Envy; and inspired by The Watchmen's "No Longer Mine".

"You don't love us anymore."

He's only parroting his mother's words, but that doesn't make it any less painful for either father or son.

"Jien…" His father's voice is very quiet, almost sad, and for a moment Jien is more scared than angry, more uncertain than hurt. The whole world is crumbling; he can feel it falling to bits all around him, like the ashes from the end of his father's cigarette.

The night is cold, Jien's breath makes a silver-grey cloud as it escapes his mouth, and the skin on his bare face and hands has started to tingle. If he waits long enough he knows it will start to feel hot instead of cold, and he can't help but think of how strange that is – how easily a feeling can change from one thing to another. He doesn't mind the sensation at all. It reminds him of nights that seem so long ago, hiding in the trees, ignoring the sound of his mother's voice calling him in to wash up for dinner, waiting to see his father on the road so he can run out and get the first greeting, the first smile, the first gentle hug.

Now his father doesn't come home until long after dark, when Jien is sleepless in bed.

"You're so young," his father says finally, "you can't understand."

Jien is a smart boy, his teachers all say so. Machines fascinate him, books enthral him. His first word was a question: _"Why?"_

But there are some things even he wishes he didn't know.

His father's hand settles warm and heavy on his shoulder, squeezes lightly. This is a father's touch, and soon he knows it will no longer belong to him.

"It's not about _not loving you_ Jien – you're my son."

_But he's your son too_, Jien thinks, _and you can't love us both_.

-End-


End file.
